Elegy of Tang Dynasty

Chapter 650: Compassion does not command troops
Early the next morning, Fang Chongyong called all the generals and staff in Yangzhou City to the lobby of the government office for a meeting to discuss sending troops to the south of the Yangtze River.

We must cross the river. No matter what plan is adopted, the war must not spread to the north bank of the Yangtze River. This is a matter of principle.

But where to send troops and how to act are very important.

"No one said anything?"

Fang Zhongyong looked around at everyone and found that no one was willing to be the first to step forward.

He also knew that these people actually had their own ideas. For example, even He Changqi saw that this battle was fought over the battle for Hangzhou City.

He Changqi believed: What about Wuxi and Suzhou? As long as Fang Chongyong led his elite troops across the river and headed south, the situation of the war could be reversed immediately.

Yuan Chao's troops were stretched too far. From Taizhou, where the rebellion started, to the current front line where he was confronting Lai Zhen, the straight-line distance was more than 600 miles.

These bandit troops just rushed forward with all their might and rushed all the way here. It is not difficult to defeat them, but it is not easy to wipe out all of them!
"Marshal, Gao has something to say."

Gao Shi stood up, and the other party saluted with a fist.

"You are a soldier on the march, please tell me."

Fang Zhongyong nodded slightly, his face calm.

This was actually expected. After all, they had already agreed last night that Gao Shi would tell his plan to them in person today.

Of course, Fang Chongyong was still somewhat surprised that Gao Shi was willing to be the first to speak out.

"It's like this. Yuan Chao is obviously preparing to surround and attack the reinforcements. If we rashly cross the river and join Lai Zhen, it will be exactly what Yuan Chao wants."

Before Gao Shi finished speaking, He Changqi interrupted him and said, "What do you want to say?"

He looked very impatient.

Because Li Qi's performance was very poor, the officials who used to work under him were also implicated and despised.

"He Lao Hu, if you have anything to say, wait for General Gao to finish speaking first."

Fang Zhongyong pointed out with an expressionless face.

He Changqi shut up in disappointment and took a step back without making any sound.

Gao Shi coughed lightly to hide his embarrassment, and then continued: "We should take a sea ship and land in Mingzhou (Ningbo) by sea, and cut the enemy army in half."

Then Gao Shi laid out his plan in detail.

The details of how many troops and horses are needed for the expedition, what route to take, and how to maintain supplies are all specified.

It seemed that he had perfected his plan after returning home last night, so he explained it in extra detail today.

All the generals present were silent, with their heads down in deep thought. They were weighing the pros and cons, trying to determine whether Gao Shi's plan was feasible.

And what role you might play in this plan.

How should I make suggestions later?

"General Gao, if Yuan Chao is not a fool, your plan will basically not succeed.

Our landing at Minzhou was, ostensibly, our way of cutting the rebel army in two.

But looking at it from the other side, it can also be said that we were caught in a pincer attack by the rebels.

The development of the war situation may not be as optimistic as you think.

If Yuan Chao reacts quickly and sends troops back from the front line to defend, he will definitely be in time."

Yuan Zai said bluntly.

Fang Zhongyong's eyes lit up and he couldn't help but nodded slightly.

Yuan Zai's words were very insightful. The biggest problem with Gao Shi's plan was that he took Yuan Chao and his troops for granted as fools.

In other words, these people are treated as stone men who cannot think or adapt.

"General Gao, if I were to lead the troops and serve in Yuan Chao's army, it would still be in time for us to come back to support Mingzhou.

Don't underestimate the enemy."

He Changqi's tone of voice this time seemed particularly soft.

Perhaps he also realized that Gao Shi was an aide of some ability, not just a talker.

"It would be great if someone could hold back Yuan Chao's elite troops on the front line."

Fang Zhongyong suddenly spoke and said something that shocked everyone present!
Yes, the problem is whether Yuan Chao can return to defense?
Under normal circumstances, when Yuan Chao knew that government troops had landed in Mingzhou and that those people were frantically attacking the city, he would rush back as quickly as possible.

There is a prerequisite for achieving this, that is, Yuan Chao and his elite troops are in a "normal situation".

In other words, you can leave if you want to.

What if you encounter abnormal situations?

For example, being held back by a group of elite soldiers from the government army, making it impossible to retreat!
Then Yuan Chao would not dare to retreat rashly, otherwise the government troops that held him back would desperately pursue him from behind! It would be like a thorn in his side.

It is very likely that the retreat will turn into a rout.

"If someone can hold Yuan Chao back in Changzhou, and another main force can go around and land in Mingzhou, I think there will be no problem in winning this battle."

Fang Zhongyong said with a serious face.

Everyone present lowered their heads and kept silent. Although they were all eager to try, no one wanted to get into trouble at this time because of talking nonsense.

"Everyone, who has a better strategy?"

Fang Chongyong asked in a deep voice.

He Changqi and other generals were unwilling to speak. According to past rules, Fang Chongyong had already decided on a strategy at this time and would not change it easily.

Unless you have a better way to convince him.

Fang Chongyong looked at Yuan Zai. He felt that this man should have some ideas.

"General, I have something to say, but I don't know whether I should say it or not."

Yuan Zai really stood up, and the other party saluted with a fist. He looked very confident, and was obviously very sure of his plan.

“This is a military discussion, no matter what strategy is proposed, it is not wrong.

If making suggestions is a crime, then who will be willing to offer advice in the future?
You can say whatever you want!"

Fang Zhongyong waved his hand gently and said, obviously not caring.

"General, I suggest that Lai Zhen lead his troops to withdraw to Runzhou and give Changzhou to Yuan Chao.

At the same time, the strategy of fortifying the city and clearing the countryside was implemented. All the people in several states were evacuated to the banks of the Yangtze River, and all the food and supplies in the government warehouses were transported by water to the cities along the river. All the ships in these states were burned.

Yuan Zai gritted his teeth and said.

"Withdraw from Changzhou? Clear the countryside?"

Fang Chongyong was shocked. Yuan Zai’s move was quite significant!

Changzhou is the last line of defense in Jiangnan. If Changzhou is abandoned, it means that Yuan Chao has already reached the south bank of the Yangtze River.

Across the river is Yangzhou City. Fang Zhongyong is in the north of the river, so he might be able to see the flags of the rebel army!

Didn’t Yuan Zai consider the risks of doing this?

"Tell me your reasons. I want to hear them."

Fang Chongyong nodded to Yuan Zai and said, the other people in the hall also had the same "all ears" expression.

"Marshal, generals.

Yuan wants to ask you, if you were the generals of the rebel army, you would have thought you would face a tough battle. But the government troops fled without a fight, gave up Changzhou and the land south of Runzhou, and retreated to the city on the bank of the Yangtze River to defend it.

Do you feel that victory is within reach? Do you feel that the government troops are vulnerable, the court is corrupt and incompetent, and you are too powerful to be defeated? "

Yuan Zai looked around at everyone and asked.

He Changqi, Wang Nande and others showed thoughtful expressions on their faces, and then nodded slightly.

I have to say that Yuan Zai’s words make a lot of sense.

"When these rebels were arrogant and continued to march northward for another 100 to 200 miles, attempting to capture Runzhou in one fell swoop, they were probably already more than a thousand miles away from Taizhou, their old nest where they started their rebellion.

How much food and fodder does the enemy army have left, and how many people are there to supply them with supplies?
They are bandit troops, not well-trained elite soldiers. At this time, they want to sweep across Jiangnan with just one breath!

What about us at that time? Yangzhou is located in the north of the Yangtze River. Whether it is supplying food and fodder or supporting troops, our speed is much faster than that of the bandit army under Yuan Chao.

At this time, if an elite force landed in Mingzhou, what would Yuan Chao use to rescue them?

Are they going to run their legs off after running a thousand miles?" Yuan Zai asked word by word, his fists clenched tightly, his face looking a little ferocious!
"Indeed."

Fang Zhongyong nodded slightly in agreement.

Yuan Zai's strategy was very sharp and ruthless! With this move, Yuan Chao would definitely lose.

Of course, there will be sacrifices in any struggle. The government troops gave up Changzhou and other places and contracted the front line, so losses were inevitable.

It will also have an impact on overall morale.

"What do you think?"

Fang Zhongyong's face was as gloomy as water. He looked around at everyone and asked.

Gao Shi stacked a buff called "take the enemy by surprise and attack when they are unprepared".

Yuan Zai added another buff, called "Show weakness to the enemy and lure the enemy into deep."

If we can lead the bandit army under Yuan Chao to the area north of Changzhou and south of the Yangtze River, we can consume their fighting spirit and make them continue to attack Runzhou but fail to take it.

Then this hammer in Mingzhou will be enough to kill Yuan Chao!
Kindness! No! Command! Soldiers!
In this battle, someone will definitely be used as a punching bag!
"Who is willing to go on an expedition to Mingzhou?"

Fang Zhongyong shouted that he no longer intended to ask for his subordinates' opinions.

Military deliberation is democratic centralism.

When generals and staff offer suggestions and advice, it is democracy.

When it comes to making a decision, it is time to gather all the opinions together, and then Fang Zhongyong has the final say.

In extreme cases, he would not hesitate to stand against everyone! He could act arbitrarily!
This is the majesty of holding military power. Once a decision is made, no one can obstruct or change it!
"The general will go where he wishes!"

He Changqi stepped out, and the other party Chongyong clasped his fists and said.

"Who will replace Lai Chen and guard Runzhou?"

Fang Chongyong asked again.

Now everyone was not calm.

Wang Nan asked, "General, wasn't it Lai Zhen's order to defend Runzhou? He could just retreat from Changzhou to Dantu!"

There were not just one or two people who thought the same way as Wang Nan, even Gao Shi thought so.

"Lai Chen has never served under me. The defense of Runzhou in this battle is crucial to the victory or defeat of the war. I dare not hand over my life to Lai Chen.

Wang Nandai, I will give you two thousand elite soldiers. Cooperate with the united soldiers from those states and guard Dantu for me.

Do you dare to accept the order? "

Fang Zhongyong looked at Wang Nanyi and asked.

"Why not? I will take your order!"

Wang Nandai stepped forward, clasped his fists and saluted, and spoke in a voice as loud as a bell!

"General, how do we place General Lai Zhen and his troops?"

Gao Shi asked with some doubt.

"Humph, let him lead his troops back to Yangzhou for rest and recuperation. Once they have regained their strength, it will be time for us to launch a full-scale counterattack."

Fang Zhongyong snorted coldly.

Gao Shi returned to his original position and stopped talking.

Is the pursuit mission important? It is very important, as this is the only way to gain military merit, but it is not fatal.

On the contrary, defending Runzhou was the most difficult, but there were not many military achievements.

If military merit is counted by beheading, it would definitely be very disadvantageous to Wang Nan.

Fang Chongyong would rather give up the military merit, or even the chance to capture Yuan Chao alive, to Lai Zhen, in order to protect Runzhou!

This shows that although this person is very bold in using troops, he is actually very careful. When conditions permit, he always tries to be as stable as possible.

Gao Shi thought to himself, it was indeed not successful, it was caused by the waves.

Fang Qing's achievements today are a glimpse of the big picture.

"General Gao, you should organize all the wealthy families in Yangzhou, let those who have money contribute money, and those who have people contribute people, to help the government troops transport military rations and provide soldiers for the Unity Army.

Anyone who refuses to cooperate will be treated as a member of Yuan Chao's gang. Don't blame me for being ruthless and iron-fisted."

Fang Chongyong instructed Gao Shi.

Although he did not adopt Yuan Zai's best strategy, Yuan Zai was right in saying:

In order to quell the rebellion, in the end, it is necessary to kill the rebel leader to appease the people, and to kill the local tyrants and evil gentry to calm the public anger.

The civil uprising in Jiangnan was unstoppable, like a spark that spread across the prairie. There must be some reason why the lower classes were oppressed too harshly.

Some local wealthy people who have committed crimes and have a bad reputation must be singled out as examples and killed to quell public anger. At the same time, preliminary land distribution can be implemented to ease the gap between the rich and the poor.

To lay the foundation for future land reform in Jiangnan.

Gao Shi was the most suitable person to do this. In his early years, Gao Shi worked as a staff member in Youzhou and had rich experience in dealing with various gods at the grassroots level.

"Your Majesty, take your orders!"

Gao Shi clasped his fists and said this, without any waves in his heart.

"Yuan Zai, take Duan Xueshi and five hundred elite soldiers with you to burn the ships.

Of course, for boats that can cross the river quickly, the boatmen will let them dock in the north of the river.

If there are any ships that cannot enter the Yangtze River, they will be burned and not a single ship will be left for Yuan Chao."

Fang Zhongyong continued to give orders.

Afterwards, some incidental tasks were also issued one by one and handed over to special personnel for handling. Everyone in the hall who received the military order left directly and hurried to do their work.

In the end, only Fang Zhongyong and Da Congming who was taking notes were left in the hall.

Every item of the military meeting just now was recorded and can be verified later.

"General, why don't you go to Yangzhou Tangluo City for a stroll. The military order has been issued, and the next step is just waiting."

Dacongming suggested cautiously.

This time, Fang Chongyong was stationed in Yangzhou, deploying troops and taking charge of the overall situation.

Whether he is stationed at the front line or leading troops in a detour, he is not required to take the lead.

In fact, no matter what, Fang Zhongyong really didn't need to do everything himself as he did before. If something unexpected happened, not only his wives and concubines, but even his close associates who followed him to conquer the world would not be able to bear it.

As long as Fang Zhongyong stayed in Yangzhou City, He Changqi, Wang Nande and even Che Guangqian would feel at ease and would not worry about any trouble behind them.

"That's fine too."

Fang Chongyong nodded. He also wanted to see how Yangzhou’s economy was doing and what commodities were being produced.

Contrary to what many people imagine, although Yangzhou is located in the north of the Yangtze River, it is the economic center of the south of the Yangtze River.

To put it simply, the development of Jiangnan in the late Tang Dynasty was to build a mature farmland water conservancy ecology around Taihu Lake, realize the configuration of advanced agricultural tools, and fully develop the land.

Then, on this basis, large-scale handicraft manufacturing is carried out.

But now, Jiangnan does not have the corresponding conditions.

Perhaps, after this battle, the population in the north can be transferred in an orderly and organized manner, land can be reclaimed in the south of the Yangtze River, and efforts can be made to develop the Taihu economic circle.

His mind was full of thoughts about the war, economic development, land reclamation and the like. Fang Zhongyong walked out of the Yangzhou government office with a heavy heart, and under the protection of Zhang Guangsheng and others, he came to Tangluo City in Yangzhou.

Yangzhou Tangzicheng was built based on the old cities of Wu, Chu, Han, Jin and Sui, while Tangluocheng was developed entirely due to economic prosperity. It was necessary to build a large-scale city to accommodate the development of industry and commerce.

By the way, protect the huge wealth from being plundered by bandits.

Soon, Fang Zhongyong and his party walked through Tangluo City and were surprised to find that there was no proper "fang" in the city, let alone fang walls. People were coming and going on the streets, and there were rows of shops doing all kinds of business, which were not affected by the Jiangnan uprising at all.

The vigor and vitality here is somewhat similar to that of Bianzhou, but it has a sense of "naturalness" and is not guided by clear policies like Bianzhou.

“The shift of the economic center to the south seems to be a historical trend that cannot be stopped by anyone.

If we focus on developing the south, relocating the population, and reclaiming the land, we can extend the life of the dynasty for decades."

Fang Zhongyong couldn't help but sigh to himself.

(End of this chapter)